Not convinced to attend the 14th Annual Entrepreneur's Growth Conference--find out tonight in our preview why you should get some of those last minute tickets and at a special PositivelyPittsburghLive Discount, but you have got to listen in to get the code.

Sponsor Spot:

May 21, Building Bridges for Business, Small Business Works: Money for Your Business

3 things about conference:1. $10 for anyone to attend to get great information for their business - great resources and ability to speak with banks on money for your business (we have 8 banks exhibiting)

2. Sue Malone is the keynote speaker. She is the owner of Strategies for Small Business where her mission is to help people obtain access to capital to expand their business. Will have great tips for current business owners and prospective business owners.

3. Opportunity to network with other business owners and business resources such as Pittsburgh Business Times, Pittsburgh Technology Council, Comcast, and Giant Eagle among others.

About Building Bridges for BusinessSince its inception in November 2010, Building Bridges for Business hosted three sold out events, featuring prominent keynote speakers, such as Dr. Winslow Sargeant, who is President Obama's main adviser for small business. Other events have featured educational resources and key local small business figures. “We want to bridge the valuable resources in Western Pennsylvania with business owners and residents who want to start a business,” says Building Bridges President, Amanda Wodzenski. Business was founded in 2010 in conjunction with Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, the Allegheny County Executive's Office, Duquesne University and Chatham University to provide education and resources for Pittsburgh and Allegheny County entrepreneurs on business growth, promotion, management and to aid individuals hoping to launch a new business. In addition to live events, Building Bridges for Business launched Pittsburgh's first-ever small business Twitterchat in September 2011 to offer vital resources from small business experts to entrepreneurs via Twitter.

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Alicia Marie Phillips

Alicia Marie Phillips is focused on relationship marketing in a digital world utilizing the latest technologies allowing wins for both business owners and customers. You can find her blogs and connect with her socially at AliciaMariePhillips.com.

Alicia will discuss “The Top Social Media outlets for businesses & How to leverage them"

She speaks specifically about using tools yourself instead of outsourcing the work, tailoring your social media efforts to your business and needs, why every business doesn’t need to be on every platform, how everyone has shoved social media down business owners throats how now is the time to tailor and perfect the campaigns most likely already in place. She will also discuss how social media plays into your websites and SEO.

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Mike Kane

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Mike Kane is the CEO of K&M, LLC - CellPig.com. Mike will be speaking in the "Alternative Funding Sources" seminar, where he will be talking about his companies experience with Kickstarter.com.

“We just launched the cellhelmet™, which is the world’s first and only case to guarantee the iPhone - manufactured 100% in the Pittsburgh area. In other words, if your iPhone breaks inside of a cellhelmet™, it will be repaired or replaced - guaranteed.”

“We took the route of crowd funding the project, as opposed to going to a bank, because we saw huge value in building a community of 'followers.' Basically, we gained a massive amount of exposure and free marketing by launching on Kickstarter, which could not have been attained via traditional funding sources.”

Mike’s seminar is at 3:30pm and he’ll also be sitting at a booth prior to his presentation. Find more information on cellpig and the cell helemt at www.cellpig.com/cellhelmet. Also find them on Facebook and Twitter.

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Dan Droz

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Dan Droz is president of Droz and Associates, a strategic marketing firm, and for 17 years, served as adjunct professor of Design Management at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU). At CMU, Dan co-founded the nation’s first Multidisciplinary Product Development Program, directed the Design For Business Program and taught innovation strategy, market planning, and marketing accountability.

His research and writing has focused on marketing strategy and he has lectured and consulted throughout the world on branding strategy and marketing accountability.

Droz and Associates, (www.droz.com) founded in 1980, consults with businesses and non-profits to develop marketing plans, communications, branding and ebusiness strategies that accelerate revenue growth and more fully engage their audiences. The firm has consulted for over 1000 organizations in the U.S. and abroad, including PPG, PNC Bank, Mellon Bank, USX and hundreds of closely-held businesses, trade associations, professional practices and non-profits. The firm has pioneered the application of outcome-based marketing, where pre-defined outcomes shape the development of marketing strategies.

“My presentation is titled: 20 Marketing Tweaks to Transform Your Business and Drive Your Competitors CRAZY! I can't completely spill the beans, but would love to give you a preview and talk about a few of the tweaks.” Because the topic covers most of the phases of marketing from branding and positioning to awareness, acquisition and retention, there'll be a lot to talk about.”

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Code for PositivelyPittsburghLive Discounted ticket at PPL99

Register Today and Save!

Register at www.duq.edu/sbdc or by calling 412.396.1633.

Full-Day Registration: $139

Price includes continental breakfast, luncheon and all event activities.

Funding support and resources are provided by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania through the Department of Community & Economic Development; through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration; and in part through support from Duquesne University. All services are extended to the public on a non-discriminatory basis. Special arrangements for persons with disabilities can be made by calling 412-396-6233. All opinions, conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA.

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This was reported as a reproduction of PositvelyPittsburghLive news done by Joanne Quinn-Smith. (c) Joanne Quinn-Smith and PositivelyPittsburghLive(TM) 2012 All rights reserved.

Tara Darazio is a Positively Pittsburgh Live reporter, an independent copywriter, blogger, article writer, and social media strategist. If you are in need of writing assistance, or need help with your social media efforts connect with Tara on LinkedIn here.

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About Me

Joanne Quinn-Smith has used her PositivelyPittsburghLive™
Talk Radio broadcasts to focus largely on small business topics.She also hosts the Techno Granny Show™, where
her expert guests advise baby boomers on navigating the new world of Web
2.0.Between the two shows she has
interviewed over 1800 guests, mostly small business owners.Joanne also teaches her social media platform
building to small businesses in a client personalized training, Web2.0 Gorilla
Branding Training™.Joanne has won the
2009 SBA National Journalist of the Year Award for her work in championing
small businesses through her social media efforts. Also her
PositivelyPittsburghLive Talkcast was an American Business Stevie Awards
finalist in the media category for 2010.

Joanne is the Creative Energy Officer of Pittsburgh based
marketing company, Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.JQS is the publisher of online community
magazine and Pittsburgh Internet Radio and TV network,
PositivelyPittsburghLiveMagazine.com